KERRI GAFFETT Owner
SOLÉ SHEIBAR Virtual Health & Fitness Instructor While some people were baking bread during last spring’s lockdown, Solé Sheibar was busy building muscle and today she’s on a wellness mission with SOLÉ FITNESS. Originally from Argentina, after spending over a decade as a professional chef and then in real estate, Solé had a son and decided to stay at home full time. As COVID hit and gyms were closing, friends began reaching out to the health-conscious Solé for workout advice and nutritious eating tips. “Next thing I knew, friends from Argentina, Spain, Venezuela, New York, and New Jersey were connecting. Everyone was motivated, training, having fun, and getting real results.” Solé decided to take this experience to the next level and see if she could help others outside her personal circle achieve the same positive outcomes. Today she leads total body classes via Zoom each Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday
LAURIE KEENE Architect
97 Stone Soup Farm Way, Wakefield. 860-803-3852, KeeneArchitecture.com
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SORhodeIsland.com • March 2021
Kerri
Gaffett
psychotherapist, carpenter,
sailor,
is
many
real
things:
estate
traveler,
agent,
dreamer,
and now, owner of BLOCK ISLAND COFFEE. “I want to give customers a
and Friday at 6:15am. “Incorporating exercise into your life is possible for most people with today’s technology. I love seeing my clients happy finding results and creating good habits.”
‘hug in a mug’ that feels good to hold, taste, smell, and savor,” says Kerri, who launched the business just last February. Find her brews like Cinnamon Hazelnut at the BI farmers market and more at local coffee shops – and, this month, on the shelves of Stop & Shop.
@solesheibar SoleFitness.site
Laurie Keene is a member of the American Institute of Architects and has worked on multiple award-winning projects in and around Rhode Island. While she began her study of architecture at the College of the Holy Cross, she found her passion for coastal architecture at DiMauro Architects in Jamestown, where she spent the first decade of her career before earning her license and founding KEENE ARCHITECTURE in Wakefield last year. Laurie credits her grandmother with introducing her to the nuances of design and importance of creating comfortable spaces, and feels that “being part of the creation of a home – the beginning of a story – where people will gather with friends and family is really one of the most rewarding parts of my career.” A recent project Laurie designed was published in Coastal Design Magazine, highlighting the remake of a 1900s shingle style estate that maximizes ocean views and embraces multigenerational family gatherings. “I love to create balance and harmony, but also play with visual tension,
1292 West Side Rd #246, Block Island . 714-2716, BlockIslandCoffee.com
juxtaposition of styles, and hierarchy among spaces,” explains Laurie of her process, which results in homes unique to each client and site. There are a lot of different elements that go into home design, from studying the site to laying out floor plans to proportioning the massing of the building itself, and a great source of inspiration for Laurie is looking to architects of the past, whether it’s examining the Pantheon in Rome or the Isaac Bell House in Newport. At Keene Architecture, Laurie and her team use a combination of handsketching and the latest 3D technology to communicate and translate ideas, with the goal of crafting a home that will be enjoyed for generations. A signature element of their projects is the seamless integration of home and land to create a structure that feels organic to the space around it. Whether it’s “infusing the interiors with natural daylight or maximizing the view from as many rooms as possible, I work to ensure the layout flows visually and practically – all while having fun.”